Lester Quinones has been making waves since the 2023 NBA Summer League, and his skillset has caught the attention of many. He hasn’t had the prototypical NBA route through the draft. Instead, Quinones quickly worked his way up from being an undrafted free agent to a potential NBA rotation player in one year. His name may not be well-known just yet, but Quinones’ rapid progress makes him the Warriors’ hidden gem.
Quinones’ NBA Journey
Prior to signing with the Warriors this past season, Quinones played three years at Memphis under head coach Penny Hardaway. He developed in a solid 3-and-D wing throughout his tenure there. Quinones improved his 3-point percentage from 31 percent in his freshmen season to 39 per event by his junior campaign.
However, Quinones only averaged around 10 points per game (PPG) during his college career and went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft. The Warriors picked him up, and Quinones played most of the 2023 season in the NBA G-League.
In the G-League, Quinones demonstrated a versatile offensive arsenal while playing excellent defense. He averaged 21 PPG, 7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.5 turnovers on 45 percent from the field and 35 percent on 3-pointers. This was in a 31 game sample size during the G-League’s regular season, and he was rewarded with a 10-day contract, which eventually turned into a two-way deal.
Quinones was on the Warriors main roster for the rest of the 2023 season. Additionally, he was awarded the G League’s Most Improved Player while finishing second in G-League Rookie of the Year voting.
Summer League Standout
Heading into the 2023 NBA Summer League, Quinones was a free agent looking to prove he belonged on the Warriors’ roster going forward. He quickly made his mark with electric shooting, infectious energy, and tenacious defense. Quinones made 58 percent of his threes in the California Classic but cooled off substantially in Las Vegas.
Despite the shooting struggles in Vegas, Quinones showed an adeptness at getting to the free throw line and was a solid playmaker when he wasn’t making shots. Overall, Quinones averaged 21.9 PPG, 4.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 42.6 percent from the field with a 3-point percentage of 35.5. He was the leader of the Warriors’ summer league team on both ends of the court. It was clear Quinones was an NBA-level player with an extremely diverse skillset.
Two-Way Deal
Shortly after the 2023 NBA Summer League, Quinones inked another two-way contact with the Warriors for the 2024 season. In training camp later this month, he’ll have the opportunity to compete for a standard roster spot. Quinones will have some tough competition to get a standard spot, but he should remain a two-way player no matter his training camp or preseason performance.
He’ll need to improve his shooting consistencies and playmaking a bit more, but his entertaining shot-making may provide a spark on the main roster. Quinones signing another two-way deal is a good sign going forward for his NBA future
Possible Role Next Season
Quinones recently played on the Dominican Republic’s national team for the FIBA World Cup. He was the starting guard but was relegated to the bench after poor shooting performances. Still Quinones offers more than his sometimes-streaky shooting. He is a quality defender and improving playmaker.
Considering his current contract and the Warriors’ guard depth, its unlikely Quinones plays much on the the main roster. He’ll get even more opportunity in the G-League in 2024 and should average around 25 PPG and 5 assists. His shooting efficiencies may stay the same with his increased offensive responsibilities.
On the main roster when he does play, Quinones should be an electric scoring spark off the bench. He may get significant minutes sporadically when Curry and Paul are out, but it may not be much in the grand scheme.
When he was called up last season, Quinones played just 4 games and averaged 2.5 PPG but shot 50 percent from the 3-point line. Quinones may have a similar stat line with maybe 20 to 30 games played next season.
Maybe Quinones can earn a standard spot in training camp, but if not he is still a reliable option for head coach Steve Kerr. Quinones’ entertaining play makes him the Warriors’ hidden gem for the 2024 season.
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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com.
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- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/nba/lester-quinones-the-golden-state-warriors-hidden-gem/2023/10/06/
